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(No Model.) I

E. R. HODGES. COPYING PAD.

No. 593,657. I Patented Nov 16,1897.

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EDWARD R. HODGES, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

COPYING-PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,657, dated November 16, 1897.

Application filed July 6, 1897. Serial No. 643,555. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. HODGES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Copying Padsg and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, ref

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in flexible copying-pads of that class adapted to be used in letter-copying books.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a flexible copying-pad of that class which will retain moisture sufficient to give good copies for a considerable length of time without rewetting the same; second, to provide a copying-pad in which both faces of the pad will yield a copy; third, to provide a copying-pad of that class that will be extremely simple and cheap of manufacture, yet durable and lasting in its construction; fourth, that has a means for protecting the absorbent ormoisture retaining material used in its construction, and, fifth, to provide a copying-pad of that class that will copy without blurring and that has a' means for lifting the pads without taking them up by the edges.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the particular construction and combination of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification by which the above objects are attained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved blotting-pad. Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view taken on a line w w of Fig.1,- and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken of a line y y of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the covering or facing, which covers and protects the absorbent 2, which is placedbetween said facings. For reasons of economy the facing 1, which is preferably of muslin, is formed in the following manner: A strip of muslin double the width of the length of the blotter inside the sack and the tapes 4 outside.

I or absorbent pad 2 is cut into lengths slightly longer than the width of the blotter. This makes the piece of material slightly wider than the blotter and twice as long, with the selvage edge upon each of its ends. These strips of fabric are then folded together and the raw edges 3 are stitched together, with short pieces of linen or similar tape 4 laid between them near the center on either side and projecting slightly inside. The sack thus formed is then turned, which brings the seams The sheet or blotter 2 is then placed between the facings 1,when the selvage edges 5 are stitched across the ends, as seen in Fig. 1, thereby inclosing the absorbent material 2 and securing it between the facings 1. The absorbent material is preferably in the form of a blotter capable of containing a considerable amount of moisture, which is prevented from escaping too freely upon the tissue-sheets in the copying-book by reason of the closely-woven muslin covering 1 acting as a check, thereby leaving the copies clear and sharp and preventing blurring, which occurs when too much water is allowed to come in contact with the tissue-paper.

It will be seen that the above-described construction of the facin gs 1 throws the raw edges of the fabric inside, where they cannot ravel or fray out, and that by folding a single piece with the selvage edges at both ends no seam is required at one end, while the other end may be quickly stitched, as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, with no danger of fraying, thereby saving the time and labor of turning said ends inwardly and stitching upon themselves.

It is well known that the ordinary copyingblotter soon becomes broken, soiled, and unfit for use by reason of the necessity of handling it while wet and in no condition to withstand rough usage. In my improved pad the moisture-containing material is protected by the facings, and at the same time the facings serve to retain the moisture and prevent its evaporation, yet does not change the flexible character of the pad, but allows it to be used in exactly the same manner as the ordinary copying-blotter.

By means of the projecting tapes 4 the pads may be lifted without taking them by the edgesas, for instance, in lifting one of the pads when lying upon a fiat surface it would be necessary to bend the edge in order to obtain a hold, and the constant repetition of this bending, often done roughly, tends to illjure the absorbent material. The tapes being connected directly with the covering 1 do not bend or injure the absorbent and present a convenient means for lifting the pads.

I am aware that copying-pads having cloth faciugs cemented to a stiff non-absorbent center have been used, but the declared function of the cloth is to contain the moisture necessary to obtain letter-press copies and the central board to give a firm body and hold the cloths against doubling or folding upon themselves, as would be the case in loose cloths. Such is not the function of the fabric facing in my improved copying-pad, as the foregoing description makes plain. The fabrics in my improved pad are loosely secured, and no cement of any kind is used either upon the body or edges thereof.

I am also aware that copying-pads having a fabric facing upon one side with an absorbent beneath supported upon a stiff nonabsorbent board and having a rubber or other moisture-proof backing have been used heretofore. This, however, does not meet the purposes nor accomplish the result obtained by my improved pad11amely,to give at a minimum expense a copying-pad which is in effect the same as the common copying-blot ter yet without its disadvantages. Its advantages over the common copying-blotter are its durability and ability to retain moisture, thereby effecting a large saving in the number of blotters used and saving the time required to moisten them each time they are used. My improved copying-pad need not be moistened oftener than twice a week,

while with an ordinary amount of use once a week will be sufiicient.

Having thus described my improved copying-pad, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A flexible letter-press copying-pad consisting of an absorbent moisture-retaining sheet 2, having a fabric facing 1 on both sides thereof, secured in the manner shown, for the purpose of checking the flow of moisture from the sheet 2, when under pressure, retarding evaporation and protecting it in handling, said facing having the tapes 4-, upon opposite sides thereof secured between said facings, whereby the pads may be lifted, substantially as set forth.

2. As an article of manufacture, the flexible copying-pad consisting of the absorbent moisture-retaining pad 2 loosely incased between the facings 1; the facings 1 on either side of said pad, formed from muslin fabric with the raw edges turned inwardly to prevent their fraying and having lifting-tapes 4 secured between opposite edges of said facings, all as shown and described.

Asaflexible letter-copyingpad, the combination with the absorbent moisture-retaining pad 2, of the loosely-secured facings 1, having their raw edges secured together by stitching and turned inwardly to prevent fraying, and having the projecting liftingtapes 4 secured between said facings at opposite edges, all as and for the purposes shown and described.

In testimony whereof I a'ffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDXVARD R. IIODGES.

Vitnesses:

LUoY NATHAN, H. S. PARAMORE. 

